Sonic 4: Episode 2 Screens & Media Topic

[JezMM]

I way prefer the more pastel colour scheme they've gone for here. The whole thing feels a ton more atmospheric. It's not the route I'd want to go for every Sonic game, but honestly I've accepted for a long time that the future Sonic 4 eps were gonna be practically different games, so I was really hoping we'd get that air of "differentness" that great sequels tend to provide.

Plus, regardless of colour schemes, LOOK at those skies! I mean really look! You're probably remembering the desert stage as having a grey cloudy sky right now, but go back and look at it. Washed out colours or not, this game looks gorgeous.

Edited February 15, 2012 by JezMM

[Spooky Mulder]

Remember that the time of day is likely to change between acts (as it it did with Splash Hill), since Aquatic Ruin appears to be at sunrise and night in those screenshots. It just happens that none of these shots are taken in full daylight, so the levels look may look a fair bit different when the sun is out.

Looks more like twilight than sunrise.

[-Mark-]

Well, depends on the Mario game. They tend to re-use aesthetics throughout but in most recent games they rarely reuse gimmicks. I imagine most people wouldn't be able to identify individual Sonic game acts in the same way.

Oh totally, if you showed me a screenshot from a Sonic zone, I'd rarely be able to identify which act it was from the screenshot. It's just with 2D Mario games all the levels basically look the same with a few variations (snow/ ground/ underwater/ airship etc) that are spread out randomly and therefore can't even be pinned to a particular world really. D:

[Cortez]

Bad Future anyone?

[Hyper-Shan]

You know what, I feel like I'm being a bit rude. Not a great way to start off.

It's just, I do not like to art style of this game. It does look graphically much better then Episode 1, but I all I see are dull, boring, washed out colors. If it's just me, then maybe I am color blind...

Welcome to SSMB! =D

I think its because in the Mega-Drive/Genesis era, the Sonic games had a very bright & cartoony style that the 16-bit system had to offer. The screenshots here have such an atmosphere to them in my honest opinion, that it reminds me of Sonic CD sometimes - the detail of the backgrounds in CD is grander & the moody look of the detailed Bad futures appeared fantasy like & slightly "realistic" to me. Ok, "realistic" isn't probably the best way for me to describe it (I must apologise though, I am awful in describing) but I can't find the right words. It just doesn't feel AS cartoony as the 16-bit titles (mostly S1) to me I suppose. E2 looks, judging from these images, much more realistic than before, yet also retains that "Sonic-y" touch to it that reminds me of the other 2D & 3D games ("Little Death Planet" for example).

Graphically, it looks like Generations to me. It's also appears to be full 3D models this time as apposed to the pre-rendered CG model in E1, where most of the background looked like cut-outs. It's vibrant, yes, but it lacks the parallax scrolling seen in the past games (best example I can remember is probably the water in Hydrocity Zone; as soon as you fall into it, the background shifts angles making look 3D & vast) - try & hold the Up direction of the D-Pad when standing on the floating platform in the Splash Hill Boss. You'll probably see what I mean.

I'm not a sharp eye with the clash of art style in E1, so I can't say much about that I'm afraid (I need to go back & check next time).

[EXshad]

Holy mother of fucking tits, how did I miss this.

This... this actually looks..... really... really... REALLY fucking amazing. Holy shit, what an improvement. Already, the stages just look vastly more creative than in the first game, with a level that seems to be an amalgam of numerous past ruin-themed levels, a Christmas-themed snow level that actually LEADS into a rollercoaster-based theme park, and an industrial construction complex that looks downright gritty. And the idea of building upon Sonic 2 and 3's co-op to actually include unique co-op attacks is just downright brilliant. As for the improved graphics engine, wow. What an improvement. This is how Episode 1 should have looked; it truly looks like a classic Sonic game with modern sensibilities; the grass looks like actual grass, backdrops don't look like plastic.. yet it all retains the surrealism of the classic games. And these environments just look so engrossing, brimming with life compared to Episode 1. Sonic and Tails themselves look great too; the perfect middle ground between Modern and Classic (just look at how big Sonic's noggin is!). Coupled with the fact that we're actually getting brand new badniks and bosses, I'm pretty psyched.

Yet not all is perfect. Seeing the chain of Bubbles return just made me facepalm; I sincerely hope the physics really are as updated as everything else so the game won't have to rely on homing attack chains as much as the last one. Plus... BUBBLES IS BACK. I ain't gonna whine and moan about them "rehashing", that's not an issue in my mind anymore thanks to all the new content we're getting, but he was the last badnik I wanted to see come back thanks to how fucking useless he is. Also, the lighting still looks kinda off to me.. I can't put my finger on it, but it almost looks TOO crisp, if that makes any sense. Lastly, I do wish they used a bit more innovation for the special stages, yet at the same time, as long as they can maybe put a unique spin on it, it could come out pretty cool.

Overall, this is a great step in the right direction, and I'm really pulling for Dimps. I wanna see them make a game the fanbase loves again.

Edit: What the hell is in the background in the Metal Sonic rocket chase?! Is Eggman constructing... the world?!?! o.O

Edited February 16, 2012 by EXshad

[Badnik Zero]

I know. I was just pointing out that it's weird that there is one later in the game teaching you how to fly together, so I'm wondering if maybe you have to unlock combo moves as you go through the game.

I hope they are not area-specific moves. See a sign? Press X to fly! Please not that.

[Eternal EX]

Edit: What the hell is in the background in the Metal Sonic rocket chase?! Is Eggman constructing... the world?!?! o.O

He's constructing Eggmanland! *cues dramatic music*

[Koopalmier]

He's constructing Eggmanland! *cues dramatic music*

No.

The Eggman Interstellar Amusement Park took "years of construction" even though Sonic stayed 15.

Meaning it started before. Way before. Between Sonic 3 and Sonic Adventure for instance...

epic plot twist

[Chaos Warp]

Would you believe that there are a couple members on Retro who are complaining that the graphics in the new screenshots are too realistic?

Myself, I don't find them all that realistic, just really detailed.

[KHCast]

I don't know why but i can't help thinkin of that dessert level from Brawls subspace emisarry when i see this dessert pic. mixed with Crisis city skies.

Edited February 16, 2012 by The Amazing Spiderman

[EXshad]

Wait a minute... oh no, don't tell me... is Little Planet back? Is that what that globe that's under construction in the background is?

Edited February 16, 2012 by EXshad

[Big Boss (legendsneverdie)]

Hey, since there's at least two zones in the game with with water, which zone do you think Spikes will be in?

[-Robin-]

ooooooooooooooooooooooooops, I read Bubbles for some dumb reason. I blame the Red Bubbles.

Um, I guess the aquatic ruin homage would be where Spikes is at. I can't see it being right at home in a frigid area.

Edited February 16, 2012 by Professor Westwood V

[Sonictrainer]

I think Episode 2 takes place south of the levels in Episode 1.

[DaN]

from what I can see from the screenshots I bet they only have shown 3 levels: the ruins one, the "snow that leads in the park" themed level and the "desert factory" one.

I'd like the level succession beeing like this:

White Pearl Beach Zone: a beach themed level with piers and City Escape elements like houses and landscapes

Act 1: beach oriented, in the morning

Act 2: more piers oriented, with a surfing part. midday

Act 3: more city oriented, at sunset

Act 4: shorter level in the beach at night, that leads into the boss fight (Metal Sonic)

Cryptic Ruins (the one in which we see Sonic and Tails doing a combo attack)

Act 1: more forest oriented, at sunrise

Act 2: more ruins, daylight

Act 3: more underwater section, at night

Act 4: level while raining at night, boss fight (Eggman)

Holiday Island (also Christmas Island would be cool)

Act1: forest themed while snowing, skateboard section

Act2: cave oriented, ice, underwater, beginning of Christmas elements, sunset

Act3: Christmas elements and park themed level at night

Act4: park themed and boss (Metal Sonic)

Sandstorm Factory

Act1: more canyon based at sunrise

Act2: morning, beginning of factory elements

Act3: most complex, full factory environment, sun set, with sandstorms

Act4: night, the level leads into a cave and in a secret underground base, boss fight (Eggman)

Magma Core

final level based near the center of the Earth with lava and a base in destruction

Act1: short platforming, we see Amy held prisoner by Eggman. Silver Sonic fight, then Eggman use a machine like the one in Colors to turn Tails evil and make him fight against Sonic. After that Tails becomes normal again, and both fight Metal Sonic Again

Act2: battle against both Eggman & Metal Sonic. in This level Sonic and Tails split up, at first you use Sonic and do a part of the boss against mostly Metal Sonic, then Tails doing the second part mostly against Eggman. The last part you use both against Eggman and Metal Sonic.

Act3: Metal Sonic, almost defeated, manages to absorb the energy of the Chaos Emeralds and flies away. Sonic then turns into Super and follows him, making the last battle that ends in the outer space.

the end of the game sees Sonic and Tails saving Amy and go away. Eggman survives from the battle and finds Silver Sonic defeated and Metal Sonic's Chip.

1 Month later...

we see Eggman in a lab, with Metal Sonic and Silver Sonic in those green capsule ( Sonic Adventure), and a big screen monitor with Angel Island indicated as the primary target. The game ends with Eggman's evil smile

[Blue Blood]

Latest issue of Famitsu has sceens and an article. Whether they're the same screen leaked this week we don't yet know. Get looking for scans, people.

1211 issue of Weekly Famitsu released today the latest information on "Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode Ⅱ" has been posted! Please, go to the check out at a bookstore near you ★ finally published photo large screen! (Public relations)

[Marcello]

*post*

I really have no idea what the 4th Zone could be. Maybe a fire level, but it could really be anything. We've already gotten two tropes that were missing in Generations. Speaking of levels, I noticed the inlevel visual progression most likely means we're not able to go through the levels in any order! About time we've had that again.

I'm guessing the 5th Final Zone will take place on Little Planet mixed with the Death Egg, though. It would be 2 Boss Acts. The first is racing Metal and the second id the Eggman fight.

Names for the Zones already revealed, would be Lake Ruins Zone (I'd want Lake in their for Never Lake), Cold Coaster Zone (I can't come up with anything great for that.But maybe Christmas NiGHTS Zone XD) and Oil Yard Zone.

At the end Sonic crashes the DE like in Sonic 2, but it's not the end of it and we'll see it in Episode 3 again.

Also, anyone else loving Eggman's pollution in Oil Yard?

Edited February 16, 2012 by Marcellove

[Pawn]

I've only just noticed that the trees from Aquatic Ruin 2.0 have been reused in the snow-carnival level, making their backgrounds a bit similar. I hope that's due to the fact that the levels are located in a similar area and is not just laziness on their part. They do fit well in both levels though.

Edited February 16, 2012 by Lungo

[OlenJimi]

It's probably laziness. But honestly, you'll be moving along pretty fast and you won't notice.

[Marcello]

Or because of level progression. It looks like you're getting closer to those mountains, so you have to go through where these trees are, I guess. And hey, at least they had the decency to put snow on them in the second level.

Going by that, maybe Zone 4 will be a mountain.

[Koopalmier]

Uh.

On the Sonic 4 map, you see a desert to the east, which is obviously one of the zones.

But I just noticed you see a great castle wall far behind, close to the mountains.

....... Episode 3 hint ?!

[Marcello]

If it's anything, it's probably the ruins from the AR remix.

[Barry the Nomad]

Put a call out on the SEGAbits boards for a famitsu scan. We have 2 or 3 japanese members, so hopefully they see the post and scan something up. I have a feeling we'll see something soon, given how widespread the Sonic/SEGA community is. My money is on TSSZ finding it first! They're the BEST!

[Soniman]

Put a call out on the SEGAbits boards for a famitsu scan. We have 2 or 3 japanese members, so hopefully they see the post and scan something up. I have a feeling we'll see something soon, given how widespread the Sonic/SEGA community is. My money is on TSSZ finding it first! They're the BEST!

/isbadatdetctingsarcasm